I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in June 2009. I have been in aquatic therapy since July, and I have felt much better. However, PT has not helped with my symptoms as much as I need, and I am considering the option of medication. As a high school student, I am working towards attending college in a couple of years and getting a job. In the past semester, I have missed 40 days of school because of flare-ups, and it is affecting my grades. At this rate, with the dreams I have, I feel I have to try alternatives.

With so many medication options out there, it would be impossible for me to research personal experiences for all of them. So I am here asking all my fellow Fibro sufferers what their experiences are, whether it be exercise, medication, etc. I would like to be in a stable situation for senior year, and I know it takes awhile to get the right medication and dosages.Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in June 2009

And welcome to the family! I'm sorry that you are having to live with fibro at such a young age. Most often it affects older women but one of our moderators, Jeannie, has had it since birth. Fibro shows no mercy when it comes to age.

As far as the medications go, it's always best to let your doctor suggest them...but I will qualify that statement a bit. You are a smart woman to realize that it's best to research medications before considering taking them. Most often when someone is diagnosed with fibro the doctor will offer some sort of medication to help with pain. Since the cause of fibro isn't known, there is not 'pill' that cures or stops the symptoms. But there are things you can try. These days most doctors are trying either Lyrica or Cymbalta. Here are links to those medications from the NIH. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a605045.html for Lyrica and www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a604030.html for Cymbalta(Duloxetine). Some people are helped by one of both of these medications and some aren't. Be warned that all medications have side effects. These two often have some strong effects that most likely will go away after a week or two. But ask your doctor what he thinks.

The reason I said it's always best to have your doc suggest your medications if when it comes to pain medications, especially opioid. Any time someone asks for specific medications, especially younger patients, it sends up red flags. Right or wrong it's just how it is. Unfortunately too many drug seekers and addicts make obtaining good pain relief very difficult some times. But there are some 'light weight' pain medications your doc may consider like Tramadol or even a therapeutic dose of Ibuprofen.

My suggestion would be to take each day as it comes, take good care of you, get plenty of sleep and the rest of your life will follow.

Feel free to ask questions any time or email if you'd like!ChutzieThe three grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for. — Alexander Chalmers

Hi, Juv, and welcome! I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. I really hate to see this...especially in young people. But we are here to help you.

I don't take prescription pain medication. I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, and vitamin D3 to help with pain and fatigue. I also do stretching exercises and walk. It's important to keep moving because if you sit or lay too long, you will be stiff as a board.

Be sure to check out the Fibro 101 thread...the second thread on the forum. There are links to good information, including links about malic acid/magnesium and also vitamin D. Many with fibro are deficient in these vitamins and nutrients and that can cause some pain and fatigue.

As Chutz said, talk to your doctor. They will work with you to find what works best for you. Let us know what happens. We really do care.

I'm glad you found us and joined in. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. I hope to hear more from you soon.

Chutz, I totally understand where you're coming from. I think my doctor understands too. I told him today that I didn't want to touch anything that has a black box warning associated with it, that's just not somewhere where I want to go right now. It's disappointing that my health care can be compromised because of addicts, especially teenagers. We did discuss Lyrica today, but we decided that there are too many possible side effects at this point to go that route.

Sherrine, I am very interested in the more "homeopathic" methods of treating fibro. I've had a hard time finding vitamins that I can actually take though. Many of them I find have a "fishy" taste or smell to them.

I had an appointment with my doc today, at this point we are trying melatonin, a natural sleep agent, and we are going to attend a chronic pain program at Phoenix Children's Hospital. I am interested to see how my fibro symptoms are affected by these changes, if they are affected at all.Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in June 2009